Thai PM Abhisit Demands Cambodians Leave Disputed Border Area

[Buchholz]

^ don't forget to proclaim to being Thai in addition to being a woman for maximum effect and benefit.

[rubl]

^ don't forget to proclaim to being Thai in addition to being a woman for maximum effect and benefit.

To honor those beloved Thai female posters I propose to open a new forum "Thai Female clippings" or maybe "Thai Female Logic".

from MCP

[SpoliaOpima]

Thai script was modelled on Khmer and the language borrows many words and phonetics. It is at least 600 years older than Thai also, and was used extensively in the region due to the Khmer Empire. Thai being "Influenced to an extent" by Khmer is such an understatement I am not sure where to begin!

I also agree about misinformed opinions and personal bias, they can be so revealing sometimes. This temple dispute is bringing out those posters that have no knowledge of history or the region yet will side with Thailand purely because they have a misplaced loyalty in precedence of the facts of the matter.

The point I made remains though, that English is spoken better in Cambodia than in Thailand.

The Thai script was modelled on Mon script for the most part. Both Mon and Khmer were modelled on Pallava script from India.

Are you sure?

Every Thai history and guide book I've ever read says that "King Ramkhamhaeng the Great" invented the Thai script. By himself. Alone. Are you suggesting he based it on something else?

That he copied?

It was devised before King Ramkhamhaeng came along. He may have made some additional changes, small changes, but it is largely accepted now, within the Thai academic community, that the famous Ramkhamhaeng inscription is newer than surviving inscriptions from the Mon site at Wiang Kum Kam in Chiang Mai.

Edited August 23, 2010 by SpoliaOpima

[SpoliaOpima]

The 1962 decision was based on the "official" maps, although not everyone agreed. Some thought it should have been based on the understanding of using the watershed line, especially since nothing else mentioned anything about moving off the watershed line except SOME maps.

Hi whybother

A very valid point. If this dispute were decided on "mapping common sense" then The Temple and grounds would obviously be placed within Thai borders. The early agreement to place borders along the edge of " the watershed " makes sense nowhere more than at the temple of Preah Vihear. It is a tiny parcel of land (within Thailand) on the edge of a vertical drop of 500M. down into Cambodia.

But it is worth noting that the ICJ ruling of 1962 was as result of an appeal by Thailand about sovereignty over Preah Vihear. The court in rendering its judgment made the point that it did not place much/any weight on the various maps nor was it attempting to be "fair" --- but rather emphasized the fact that over many decades the Bangkok government had not disputed the validity of the map drawn up by the French including the temple into Cambodian territory.

So it may not be fair -- It may not be right -- it certainly defies all common sense --- but as Bangkok accepted it for decades -- they had to live with it!! The Temple and immediate grounds are in Cambodia.

No one's disputing that today.

[SpoliaOpima]

The French carried out the mapping process on behalf of both parties.

In direct violation of the Franco-Siamese treaties in effect at the time. The maps were illegal, at the time. They were accepted by the ICJ for the reasons stated in their ruling, none of which said anything about the mapping being done "on behalf of both parties." No one, at any time, was under the illusion it was a bilateral map.

That's a dead issue at this point. the 4.6 sq km area in dispute was not covered by the ICJ ruling. If it were, there would be no dispute at this point in time.

Edited August 23, 2010 by SpoliaOpima

[Deeral]

Sadly the history that academics turn up is often ignored by politicians and the rank and file.

in the interest of social order and a malleable electorate the kind of history churned out by a country's film industry tends to be far more influential. ....if some what less bothered with things like reality and truth....